Bone White
by The Man-Eating Dust Bunny
Summary: [COMPLETE] Draco makes a promise to Ginny, and is forced to hold true to it. What he didn't know is that he would come to enjoy Ginny's company...far too much. D-G with mentions of R-Hr.
1. Saving Ginny

Summary: Draco makes a promise to Ginny, and is forced to hold true to it; but he finds that it becomes less and less of a chore to respond.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters except for the American hunk that will appear eventually. J.K. Rowling owns them; I just mess around with them for a bit.

Rating: R for violence, language, and attempted rape.  
  
A/N: Welcome one and all to my first fic ever. I've beta'd before, but never written anything fic-related for myself. So, here goes.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was a boy of eight, walking along the street quietly, hands in his pockets, his hair slicked back just the way his father had done it for him. He loved his mother and father, and he loved being their son—it meant he always got what he wanted, including the toy wand that resided in his pocket. Already the wooden carving was shiny with wear around the makeshift handle, he had loved it so much.  
  
His shirt was tucked in, his jumper rolled—just so—at the sleeves so it was the right length, his shoes shiny from polish, his pants brandishing their creases like weapons. He was very proud of the way he looked, and took great joy in being as beautiful as his parents.  
  
He had, of course, been taught much by his father already. He knew a good bit of magic, some of it Dark, some of it not, and he'd been practicing it with his father's wand in the safety of their home. He knew all of the purebloods, especially his relatives, by name and face, because his father had insisted he study them for hours on end. And "Purebloods, unfortunately," his father said, "do include some...mistakes." Draco wasn't quite sure what his father meant, but he knew which ones were the mistakes, all right.  
  
He lifted his head as he heard some kind of fuss going on in an alley off to one side. Curious, and unable to resist a possible chance to show off his knowledge, he took a detour and headed down into the semi-darkness of the alley. His ears listened as unfamiliar voices muttered things he wasn't sure he wanted to hear. But eventually he could see what was going on, and he sneered. "Filthy Muggles," he said, pulling the toy wand from his pocket and pointing it at them when he saw they were fawning over a young girl who, apparently, did not want to be fawned over. The Muggle boys, at least a few years older than him and in much shabbier clothes, looked at the wand and laughed. And then Draco Malfoy gave them a surprise. This wasn't such a toy wand, after all. His parents wouldn't dream of giving him a toy that didn't suffice. He muttered a spell and shifted the wand slightly. A large orb of yellow light hit a brick wall and bounced off, ricocheting off the walls until it reached the sky, where it mingled with the brightness of the sun.  
  
He looked back down at the girl with the bright red hair, who was looking up at him with big brown eyes. Draco put his "toy" wand away, and took her hand, helping her up. As he was a few years older, obviously he was taller. He smiled down at her and she smiled back at him, a gap-toothed smile that showed her to be missing at least two teeth. "Thank you," she said softly to him, and he shrugged.  
  
"Have to help other wizards, you know. Father says it's my job. Especially purebloods. Even...mistakes...like you, Ginny Weasley." He only knew he name because his father had made him study so hard, but he felt good knowing that it was the kind of knowledge he could count on. "Look...if you're, you know...ever in trouble again," he said after a bit of hesitation, "just give this a squeeze." He held out a necklace to her, a pendant dully shining silver hanging from a fine silver chain. The pendant was in the form of an owl, a rather dull-looking one, at that. But it was pretty enough, in its way. Ginny nodded and dropped the chain around her neck, so that the pendant hung about halfway down her torso. She smiled that gap- toothed smile again, turned, and left.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
I Disapparated into a clearing in the Forbidden Forest, sighing with relief that the meeting was, at last, over. Now satisfied that it was safe, I removed my mask and tucked it away into a pocket of my robes, feeling nothing more than drained. I had only become a Death Eater because father had...asked me to become one, and he certainly had some...persuasive methods. Not that I would ever dare to complain about the methods; after all, my silence was what had saved my life so many times.  
  
I walked quietly through the forest, merely glad that I didn't have to wait through any more disturbing scenes. I had seen more than enough torture in my eighteen years, and tonight had been just one more display among many. Unfortunately, in many cases, I shuddered to recall the subject was, in fact, myself rather than someone else.  
  
Someone else. Oh, damn. There was someone else. Someone was calling, and I knew, of course, who it was. _Damn you, Ginny Weasley, for robbing me of the closest thing I have to peace._ I growled slightly but felt myself running along anyway, the mental "red light" flashing her location, steering me toward her. I felt it flashing more rapidly as I wove through the trees, my robes not serving to help or hinder me in any way as I bounded along through the forest. I finally slid to a stop, and growled again at what I saw. There was another man in the robes of a Death Eater, his mask discarded, struggling with Ginny, trying to get her to hold still long enough for him to take her shirt off. He actually succeeded, but he tore the shirt into several pieces doing so before I was upon him in a running tackle, sending the man tumbling to the ground. I straddled his chest and laid repeated blows to his face with my fist until I was satisfied the man wouldn't be causing any more problems. Shaking my hand out, I noticed Ginny's state of undress and took off my robes, passing them to her, leaving myself in a thin white button-down shirt and black trousers. Although the air was a bit chilly, I didn't really mind.  
  
"I can't go around saving you _all_ the time, you know, Ginny," I said, standing up straighter as we headed back towards Hogwarts, my hand still stinging a bit from all the punches I had laid to the other Death Eater.  
  
Ginny looked at me silently, hugging my robes tightly around her small frame. "I know you can't, Draco, but you're all I've got that I can count on to come when I need it," she replied, sticking her chin out in a rather Gryffindor sort of way.  
  
Typical Gryffindor. Always trying to make anyone and everyone believe they're the coolest cats out there. And we both knew that I was by far the more experience wizard, and the one that had the brawn needed to save her. Over, and over, and over again. "Dammit, Ginny, how do you manage to get into so much trouble?" I asked in exasperation, glad that the castle was looming closer. Sometimes she really just ticked me off, and the worst part about it was that she didn't seem to realize she was doing it.  
  
"I dunno. Same way you manage to get yourself hurt, I suppose," she said smoothly, and I froze for an instant as I looked icily at her. That one really stung, as I recall—especially considering how many times I'd managed to sustain wounds from creatures like hippogriffs.  
  
I said nothing in reply, and just picked up my pace, walking quicker towards the castle. But then I stopped, when I realized that I would need those robes again. I wouldn't need this shirt, but I would damn well need those robes she was wearing. "Ginny. Trade," I said, unbuttoning the shirt quickly and holding it out to her even as I turned my back. I found the robes tossed over my arm, and I put them back on over my bare chest, picking up right where I'd left off. I kept on towards the castle, extremely glad that I was Head Boy this year, and thus allowed my own chambers.  
  
I bid goodnight to Ginny at the door, and continued down the stairs towards the dungeons, stopping to access my rooms. Once inside, I immediately cast aside the robes and trousers, flopping down onto my bed and closing my eyes with the hope that maybe, just maybe, I would get a bit of sleep tonight.  
  
I hadn't _really_ slept in two days, and it was starting to take its toll on me. Each night I'd fallen asleep easily enough, only to be haunted by that nightmare...from which I would awake and be unable to return to sleep. I hated being my father's son; it meant that not only did I inherit his money, his blood, his powers, and his looks, but that I also inherited a certain inability to rest at night. _Damn me for taking after him. And damn my father for being an insomniac.  
_  
And then, all of a sudden, there it went again. That damned signal in my head, like a beacon, screaming, "Come and get a fresh dose of fatigue! Ginny Weasley's in trouble again!" With a groan, I rolled out of my warm, comfortable bed. I pulled on the trousers I'd discarded and a fresh shirt from my closet before I grabbed my wand and ran down the corridors, following the signal.  
  
It led me straight to the library, and I could hear the sounds of the struggle even before I'd gotten a good ways down the hall. I burst through the door, only to see someone looming over a very tied-down Ginny, who had clearly tugged on the pendant before she'd been secured. I whipped out my wand, ready for anything—  
  
Or so I'd thought.

* * *

A/N: Mmm nasty cliffies yay! There is more on the way. Believe it or not, I've got a whole outline to help. And many thanks to my lovely beta Herbie, who kindly helped me decide on many of the fic's...adornments, shall we say. Much love for you. 


	2. Again

A/N: My apologies about the nasty cliffie. It's all fixed now—I promise.

* * *

I'd thought I was ready for anything, but I was far from ready to see Harry Potter assaulting Ginny. For some reason, the fact that it was _him_ made me even angrier—how dare he pretend to be her friend the way he had? How _dare_ he?!  
  
In an instant, I was upon him, my fists flying, my mind clouded with a white haze, separating me from everything but the rage. As I landed a good, solid punch to his temple, Potter tumbled to the floor, unconscious. I sneered down at him before I freed Ginny, severing the magical ropes that held her bound to a table. "You alright?" I asked slowly, my eyes resting on Potter.  
  
She shivered, also staring. "I'm fine now." After a pause, she began, "Thank—"  
  
"_Don't _thank me."  
  
"Alright...sorry."  
  
I nodded, turned, and started off. She grabbed my arm. "Draco...I don't want to be alone tonight," she said softly, her eyes averted, her cheeks flushed. Obviously she was embarrassed to ask this of me. "Can I stay with you?"  
  
I looked at her for a long moment, and then nodded briefly before I continued on my way, silently. I did a lot of things silently back then. Eventually we arrived at the door to my rooms, and I lowered the wards before ushering her inside. She seemed fascinated with my living room, her eyes caressing the shelves upon shelves of books I'd managed to get my hands on. I showed her the door into my bedroom and watched as Ginny trailed her fingers along the spine and cover of a book I'd been reading. "So. Here we are," I said.  
  
"Yes...here we are."  
  
"You can sleep on my sofa," I said, but when I looked at where she'd been, she was gone. I glanced into my bedroom, and sighed when I saw her sitting on my bed, her hands splayed out appreciatively on the velvet comforter. "Or you can just invade my bed," I modified, walking over to the window and taking a seat upon a deep windowsill. I leaned down and prodded a log in the fireplace with my wand, nodding with satisfaction as a fire jumped to life in the grate.  
  
When Ginny saw me sitting there, she came over and forced me to scoot, sitting down beside me, squishing herself into the windowsill. "I meant it, Draco...thank you for saving me."  
  
"Twice."  
  
"Yeah...thanks. For both times," she said, smiling shyly at me. I had no idea why she would be shy; I'd saved her often enough in the last seven years that she should have been more than comfortable in my presence. But for some reason, she still seemed to be uncomfortable at my side. How many times had I saved her, anyway? "Hey Draco?"  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"How many times _have_ you saved me, anyway?" she asked.  
  
I chuckled softly. "I was just wondering that myself."  
  
We sat there in silence for a while, each of us left with our own thoughts. Finally, she spoke. "Draco, I'm afraid."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Of...Him."  
  
"The Dark Lord?" I asked, and she nodded. I hesitated as to what to say to that. Who in their right mind _wasn't_ afraid of Him? "It's alright, Ginny. I'm afraid, too. But you have more reason to be afraid than I do, anyway."  
  
She looked down at her hands with a soft sigh. "I know, but...it's so hard, to not be repulsed by Him...I have to stay so close, and it's..." She shivered, and I found myself putting a reassuring arm around her shoulders.  
  
"It'll be alright, you'll see."  
  
"I hope so, Draco...I hope so."  
  
There followed another long, tense silence. I looked at her, and said, "We ought to try and get some rest. It's been a long night."  
  
She nodded, and stood up, going to crawl into my bed. I remained sitting on the windowsill, but I shifted sideways and pulled my knees up to my chest, knowing there was no point in trying to sleep, especially since I was such a horrible insomniac. I didn't pay attention as Ginny fell asleep, merely staring out of the window at nothing in particular.  
  
I listened to her breathing in her sleep, and it finally lulled me to rest as well as into a dream...  
  
_"No...no, stop...go away...leave me alone!!!" I cried, getting up to my knees at the feet of Voldemort, my father standing behind me. "I don't want to, please don't make me, I can't, please...please don't..."My voice was weak and raspy, betraying the fact that I'd been screaming, due to the Cruciatus curse. The worst part about this nightmare was how real it was, how real it had been when I had really been screaming, writhing at their feet not more than a few minutes before. And then I was cursed again, screaming, "Please stop! I can't, I can't do this! Don't make me! Please..." The words echoed in my head, painful. But not as painful as the pain I was experiencing under that _fucking_ curse...  
_  
I snapped awake, my body aching from the position it had been in. Groaning, I got up and stretched out; this wasn't the first time I'd had this nightmare, and it certainly wasn't the first time I'd fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position.  
  
I noticed then that Ginny had left. My bed was empty, and I noticed a blanket tossed onto the floor. I assumed that was my own doing—the tossing, that is. I could only assume that Ginny was responsible for the blanket being there in the first place.  
  
I sighed again, and walked into my living room, picking up the book I'd been reading, the one that Ginny had touched with her small fingers. I read for the rest of the night, knowing that I would be unable to return to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Aha! So we find out Ginny is somehow involved with Voldemort. Details will follow.


	3. The Call

A/N: And now you can find out how Ginny is associated with Voldemort.

* * *

The morning after that, I went down to breakfast, as usual. I piled my plate with my usual morning meal and ate, as usual, in silence. But then the usual-ness ended. Ginny came and sat down across from me. "Good morning!" she said cheerfully, starting to serve herself. I gaped at her.  
  
"Ginny...what are you doing here?" I asked incredulously.  
  
"Eating."  
  
"Well, obviously. I meant _here_, at the Slytherin table."  
  
"Oh. Isn't it obvious? I don't have any real friends but you, Draco."  
  
I paused, letting that turn over and over in my head. "What do you mean?" I finally asked, unsure of what, exactly, she meant.  
  
"Well...I had been friends with the Dream Team, but now that Ha—Potter tried to rape me...I don't have any more friends."  
  
"You never had any friends in your own year?"  
  
"Not really, no."  
  
"Ginny, you ought to make some friends."  
  
"I don't really want to. I don't think I can trust anyone but you any more."  
  
There was yet another long pause between us as we both ate our breakfasts. "So, what you're saying is...I'm stuck with you?"  
  
She beamed at me. "Basically!"  
  
I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. I made a face of displeasure as I recalled what I'd seen this morning in my bathroom. My hair was turning white. I didn't know how, or why, but the roots had definitely gone pure white. I'd taken care to find a spell, and fix the problem. My hair was again one solid, blonde color, which was pleasing. "Well, congratulations to me," I muttered to myself, before finishing my meal. "Alright then, Ginny...so I'm stuck with you. What do you plan to do?"  
  
"Stick to you like glue," said Ginny, before wrinkling her nose. "Sorry...Muggle phrase, picked it up off my dad."  
  
"Yeah..." I sighed, and pushed away from the table. At least there was school put in there, so that she couldn't "stick to me like glue" _all_ day.  
  
--- ---  
  
Classes came and went, and before long it was time for dinner. Ginny and I sat at the table, discussing little nothings as we ate. But one thing was far from a little nothing.  
  
"It's like...like I'm called to Him," she said haltingly.  
  
"What do you mean?" I replied.  
  
"Well...He explained it once...He said it was like the Mark, but without the actual Mark. When he wants me, it's like...my whole body burns with pain, until I show up where he wants me."  
  
"So you're a living Dark Mark, hm?"  
  
"Apparently. It's a residual thing from when he possessed me first year. He sorta...left a copy of himself behind, in hiding, inside my head. And when he wants me, all he has to do is tug, and I hurt all over. I literally have no choice but to make my way out to the Forbidden Forest, where his copy Apparates me to the location."  
  
"That's...oddly fascinating. In a creepy sort of way. But then, that's how he operates—creepy, but fascinating." I leaned back on the bench, my hands resting on the edge of the table, gripping it gently. And then I hissed in pain, and clutched my left arm, watching as Ginny went positively rigid, her eyes widening, her mouth hanging slightly open.  
  
We had to go. Both of us. I grabbed Ginny, and dragged her out of the Great Hall, to my rooms. Her eyes stared at nothing, and I knew that she was, temporarily, blind. I changed into the robes, and yanked on a book on one of my shelves; the entire section of wall lifted and slid aside, and I pulled Ginny into my arms, carrying her down the stairs, and into the secret passage.  
  
I ran as quickly as I could down the passage with my burden, Ginny shivering in my arms. Eventually we reached a small stepladder, and I climbed up it, using my shoulder to bang the trapdoor ceiling up. I burst through the hole, and nudged the door back down with my foot, concealing its location with a few kicks of leaves over the cracks that betrayed its presence.  
  
Now in the forest, I hurried past its borders, where instantly we Apparated to the location Voldemort had chosen for this meeting of his faithful followers. What they didn't know was that, even then, I was only faithful to one person, and that certainly was _not_ the Dark Lord.  
  
I let Ginny down from my arms now, and as if in a haze, she staggered through the circle of Death Eaters, into the center, where she fell to her knees at Voldemort's feet. I, myself, took my place in the circle, between my father and Crabbe.  
  
Voldemort smirked at Ginny, and reached out one long finger, trailing it down her cheek. "Ah, my pet. You came," he hissed, smiling hideously. "My...queen," he added.  
  
I watched from behind my mask, having stopped briefly to put it on before entering the circle. I felt cool and empty as I watched them, and listened, just as emptily, as Voldemort spoke to one and all about his plans. I watched coldly as he tortured several Death Eaters, but I said nothing, merely absorbing it all.  
  
That was another thing they didn't know. I had only joined up with the Death Eaters in order to help Dumbledore and Snape. All of what I heard was being stored away quietly.  
  
All the while, I found it more and more difficult to stand Voldemort cooing over Ginny. It disgusted me, and I wished there were something I could do to stop it. But I knew if I spoke a word about it, to anyone, I would die. So I kept my mouth shut, because I liked living. I liked living quite a lot.

* * *

A/N: My thanks again to my lovely, lovely beta Herbie. I love her forever and always. I think.  
  
Comment from Herbie: hmmph. You'd best love me forever and always. :-P 


	4. Replaced

A/N: I hope any of you who are reading this appreciate the fact that I can write so quickly. Because I'm appreciating the fact that my wonderful beta is willing to read things even at about midnight. And thank you especially to those people who _aren't _my good friends that are reading this story—it means a lot to me to know that there are people out there who think I write well that don't say it just because they're my friends. (i.e. beautiful-exterior, Akarusa30991, and GinnyYvetteHermione. My thanks.)

Kat—yes, Ginny knows Draco is a Death Eater, as you see by chapter 3. And as to the Dream Team knowing about Draco protecting Ginny...well, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you? ;)

Also, be on the lookout for a shift in point of view somewhere in this chapter. Happy reading!

* * *

After a long while, the meeting came to its end with more than one body lying on the ground, twitching (or, as the case may be, still) in pain. Feeling relieved, I Apparated on the spot, and was relieved to see a very tired Ginny sitting on a rock upon Disapparating. She looked up at me, her chocolate-brown eyes dark. "I hate this," she said softly.

I just looked at her through my mask for a while, but then I took it off and said, "I hate it, too." And it was true enough—I did hate it, to a point.

I reached out and helped Ginny up, giving her the aid of my arm to lean on as we made our way back to the castle, through the tunnel I'd used to arrive in the forest. When we got back to my rooms, Ginny sagged heavily against me. "Can I stay?" she whispered, her voice thick with fatigue.

I muttered a spell, and eased her onto my now sheet-covered couch. I draped a blanket over her and tucked a bit of hair out of her face. "Of course," I said to her.

I shrugged out of my robes, trousers, and shirt and crawled into my bed with a heavy sigh, glad to relax my aching legs. For once, I fell asleep without much trouble. Only to fall into another nightmare.

"_Father, don't make me," I whispered hoarsely, grabbing at the hem of my father's robes to drag myself up to my very bruised knees. "Please...not Ginny...don't...please no..." I said, my eyebrows creasing with the pain the movement has brought me. "I can't do that to her...not to Ginny, please, anyone but Ginny..." I fell onto all fours, my breath rattling in my throat with a nasty, wet sound that proved I'd broken at least one rib. "I can't put her under the Imperius, I just can't...don't make me, _please _don't make me!" I gasped in pain, hunching over, clutching my side with pain._

_"If you cannot do this thing, boy, then you will be punished. Lucius, take the boy home. See that he is suitably...dealt with," rasped the cold voice that belongs to Voldemort._

"_Nooo! Please no! Don't!!!" I cried, getting back to my knees, grabbing at anything I could reach. Voldemort made a nasty sneer, and pulled out of my reach. I was left with nothing but the pain, and the knowledge of the scars I would get from that night._

I woke with a growl in my throat, hopped angrily out of bed, and knocked my bedside table over in my anger. _I saved her from undergoing a fucking Unforgiveable, and all I got for my pains were torture, scars, and molestation by my own fucking father. I haven't trusted him since._

In the morning, Ginny was gone again. When I came down to breakfast, and she sat beside me, I noticed that, for once, she looked...mature. She'd cut her hair short and was wearing...makeup? I noticed, of course, but I didn't say a word—after all...I didn't care about Ginny that way. Did I?

Two weeks and three Death Eater meetings passed, with life going pretty much as normal. Ginny and I spent our every free moment together, and by this point in time, we knew each other so well that we were actually able to finish each other's sentences on occasion. Not that I enjoyed that part of it. But Ginny was a very interesting young woman, as I'd come to find out. Some of the things she said were so insightful, despite the fact that she was so young. I gathered she'd learned far more than she should have after being possessed by Voldemort her first year.

I was starting to become attached to Ginny Weasley. Dangerously attached.

And then it was all ruined. All of it. There was a new sixth year Gryffindor, and when Ginny saw him, I knew she was gone, and that I would never have her.

That morning at breakfast, Dumbledore introduced the boy, who had, until then, been home schooled in America. I sneered at him as he stood and waved briefly at the student body before he sat back down. This so-called "Todd Maleir" was shorter than I, with curly, dark brown hair and dark eyes, from what I could see at this distance. Ginny's face betrayed her, and I could tell she was entranced from the very beginning. My thoughts were confirmed when Ginny got up and went and sat down across from the new kid. I sneered again, and returned to my food in silence, my day only getting worse as my old cronies Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Blaise crowded back around me. _Today is going to be hell._

I found myself staring as Dumbledore introduced the new kid, who was so conveniently in my own house and my own year. With a smile, I stood up and walked over to him, Draco forgotten in my mind as I sank down across from him, extending my hand. "Hello, I'm Ginny Weasley. Also a sixth year Gryffindor."

He nodded and shook my hand. "Todd," he replied with a smile and a twinkle of his eyes. "But you already knew that."

"Yes...yes I did." I realized that he most definitely was _not _British by his American accent. "So you're from America, yeah?"

"Yeah. I lived with my grandmother until last summer, when she passed away...I came to stay with my uncle, and he thought I needed to be in a real school...so here I am." His eyes twinkled so...mischievously at me, I felt my insides just warming up. He reminded me of Harry—but kinder, and easier to trust. After all, Todd hadn't tried to rape me, had he? I sat up straighter, and winced slightly, my back giving me a bit of a twinge. Todd saw, and got up, coming around to rub my sore muscles. "My grandma taught me how," he said in explanation as his hands worked miracles on my back and shoulders. "She had backaches all the time, so I had to know how to help if I wanted to learn."

I groaned and nodded, leaning into his fingers. I had a feeling that this boy knew a lot more than he seemed to; I was looking forward to finding out what, exactly, he knew.

* * *

A/N: I've noticed my chapters are a bit short, but oh well. It'll just prolong the story.


	5. Two Sides of the Square

A/N: Sneaky, sneaky me, changing the point of view in this one, too...oh look! A rhyme!

* * *

I watched as Ginny spoke to the boy, felt my muscles tensing as I watched him give her a back rub. After a bit, he sat back down and he and Ginny talked a bit more. Then Ginny got up and came back over to me, sitting down with a grin. "I'm making my own friends—happy?" she asked, flicking her hair over her shoulder with one hand.

I looked at her, and then back to the newcomer. "Good for you," I muttered, suddenly disgusted with my food. I dropped my fork with a sneer of disgust and pushed my plate away. "Jolly well good for you." _Bloody Gryffindors,_ I thought angrily, getting up and leaving the Great Hall. As I headed down to my rooms, I heard Ginny behind me, talking to that effing ball of muscle...

"That way is the dungeons and the Potions classroom. Over there is the entrance to Hufflepuff common room and up those stairs is the Astronomy tower, and this way to Gryffindor Tower..."

Her voice trailed off as I turned a corner, and I was glad I didn't have to listen to her give that other...thing...her little speech. With another sneer, I burst into my room, to sit down and pull out a quill and parchment. Few people knew that I had artistic skills. I inked a quick sketch of this damned Gryffindor male, threw a handful of sand over it so it would dry, and transfigured a mirror on the wall into a dartboard. I pinned my drawing onto the dartboard, my last sketch—of Potter—falling to the stone floor. I pulled the darts out of the board, stepped clear across the room, and started to toss them at the board, not even looking at it. Sure enough, every single one had landed in a spot that would have been a deadly blow in real life. I curled my lip and picked up my bag, heading to class.

The next morning proved that I had, once again, lost Ginny to Todd. I watched in disgust as she sat right next to him and glared as they leaned in closer, whispering to each other. I felt a spark of anger as I watched Ginny's cheeks color as she giggled at something Todd said. I just wanted to grab him around the neck and squeeze and—

What in _hell_ was wrong with me?!

I pushed away from the table with disgust and hurried outside toward the Quidditch pitch, wanting nothing more than something to take my mind off of the thought of losing Ginny to someone. It felt irrational to me that I felt that way, that I felt...jealous. Ginny was only a friend, right? Right. I didn't think of her in more than a friendly way, right? Right.

But there was something...wrong with this kid. I wasn't sure what it was, but I was more than positive he was not quite the same as he had been the day before. I could have, possibly, tolerated him the way he was then. He had seemed friendly but distant; today, however, he seemed far friendlier, more willing to let Ginny closer. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something really, really, _really _wrong about this guy. If I was bad, he was the worst.

I was really starting to like this Todd fellow. When he'd come in and sat beside me at breakfast, I'd immediately blushed and found myself tripping over words, in a rush to ask him anything, everything. "Morning," I said, cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

He smiled at me. "Had a bit of a wonky dream, but otherwise, yeah," he replied, helping himself to breakfast.

My smile faded slightly. Wonky...that was a British expression if I'd ever heard one. And he was American...why would he be using British expressions? It was all very confusing. But then I decided that he was merely trying to fit in. After all, he was one of the few American kids at Hogwarts to begin with—combined with the fact that he was new in sixth year, he didn't really seem to have much chance to make friends, except with those willing to go out of their way to meet him. I dismissed the thought from my mind, and picked up the conversation again. "Cool, I guess," I replied, rolling my shoulders slowly, wincing from the slight pain.

"Had a rough one, then?" he asked, still smiling.

"A bit. Had an odd dream, and just couldn't sleep in general." The dream I referred to had been clean and pure, full of brightness and happiness, and a feeling of being weightless and carefree. It had been delightful, but confusing.

His smile turned sympathetic as he looked at me, and again I felt his delightful fingers rubbing my shoulders. He leaned over and whispered, "Tense often?"

I blushed and nodded. "More often than I'd like to be," I admitted, also in a whisper, though I was a bit unsure why we were whispering in the first place.

He merely continued to rub my shoulders with one hand, turning his attention to the food on his plate. I also decided to give breakfast a go, and we sat in relative silence for a while, eating, before I leaned back and wiped my mouth.

"You eat like a bird," said Todd, seeing how little I'd eaten.

I giggled, blushing again. "Can't help it. I got the other end of the thread. See, my youngest brother eats everything, so I eat nothing."

He smiled again. He smiled a lot, I noticed. It was a very genuine, warm smile, welcoming and glad, open and quick. I liked his smile. It was so...calm and cool, and he smiled so often, it made me think of him as a big, cuddly, favorite teddy bear that was always glad to see me.

Spontaneously, I said, "Care to go for a walk?"

He shrugged. "Why not? Hang on." He finished his meal, wiped his hands and mouth, and got up. "Alright."

I grinned at him, took his hand, and pulled him out of the Great Hall, out of the castle, across the grounds, past the lake, into the forest. We climbed a tree and sat together in its sturdy branches. I looked into his eyes, so dark and chocolate-brown, I felt I could get lost in those eyes...I found myself leaning against him, my head atop his shoulder. His arm found its way, naturally, around my shoulders. "It's amazing," I muttered, closing my eyes.

"What is?" he asked, pulling me closer.

"Mmm...I've only known you for about a day, and it feels like I've known you for a lifetime," I said, slowly opening my eyes and turning my head enough for me to be able to look into his dark orbs. I watched them as they seemed to flicker in the dimness of the forest and smiled as he smiled.

"Sometimes that happens," he replied softly, slightly enigmatically. I leaned into him, my smile widening. There was nothing to fear about Todd, I just knew it. He was kind and caring, and willing to help me in any way possible. I could tell. I could just tell.

* * *

A/N: I've noticed my chapters are a bit short, but oh well. It'll just prolong the story.

Beta's Note: My apologies for taking so long with this chapter, since it is, after all, all my fault. It's just been sitting in my inbox, looking pretty for about 2 weeks now. So I'm sorry.


	6. Argue

A/N: This _will _be Draco/Ginny, I swear. It's just going to take a while to get around to it, of course. But I swear to you that it will be D/G. You have my word as an aspiring author. And there was definitely a reason for the last chapter to have "square" in the title...but you'll find out the reason eventually.

And also let me say that those of you who have reviewed saying you want to see more...it helps to fuel me in writing more. Thank you!

I changed the American's name from Harvey Maren to Todd Maleir. If you can figure out why, I'll give you brownie points! And you'll also have a hint as to what's going on with him. ;D

And please please please PLEASE forgive me for not updating in so long...first it was actual vacations over the summer, and then trying to live it up in the last week or so of freedom, and now school...but I've finally gotten around to it! And don't kill me!

* * *

It was easy for days to pass. The sun just rose and set, painting the sky in a rainbow of different colors twice a day. And so the days passed, and so I watched the sun rise and set day after day, never able to sleep long enough to pass them up. I sat on the sidelines, gazing at the sky through my window as the clouds went from deepest violet to palest cream, and back again, passing through every hue and shade in between: lavender, blue, green, yellow, gold, orange, red, pink. I'd never seen something quite so beautiful, except maybe Ginny. _I did not just think that._

Ginny was long gone from me; I could see it in everything. I hadn't had to answer her call ever since Todd showed up, thankfully; but that was slightly worrying, especially since Ginny was so good at getting into trouble. But nonetheless, I had a strange, hollow hole in the pit of my stomach where Ginny had been before, and I had an even stranger feeling that the hole would stay there as long as this American boy was present. All of a sudden, it hit me: I was acting like someone who was jealous. I quickly denied it, but I knew that I must have been jealous, because no sane man would ever think about a woman this much. The realization was quickly followed by a noise of disgust over my lunch as I watched Ginny and Todd sitting sickeningly close together, laughing at one another and holding hands. They'd been an "item" for at least a week now, and I was more than ready for it to be over. No matter where they were, they were all over one another, holding hands and sharing little meaningless kisses. The entire school was grossed out. Or so I thought.

I was acting like a woman, for God's sake! I couldn't help but listen for even the tiniest piece of gossip about the pair from the girls. And so I wasn't surprised to find myself listening in as Pansy spoke with some of the others about them. "They're all over each other, all the time," she said, and I smirked smugly to myself at having been right, only to have that feeling of triumph crushed with the next words.

One of the other girls, I couldn't tell who it was because Crabbe was blocking my view, said, "I think they're adorably cute, though. It's not like they're ugly or anything."

Pansy seemed to consider this for a moment as she watched Ginny and Todd, and then nodded her agreement. "Yeah, you're right. They _are_ cute."

I groaned, and Goyle looked at me, puzzled. "You alright, Draco?" he asked, peering at me as I buried my face in my hands.

I ran my hands down my face, stretching my perfectly pale skin as I looked up. "Yes. I'm fine, Goyle," I replied, my appetite suddenly gone. "I just need a bit of air," I added, pushing away the remains of my lunch and promptly leaving the Great Hall. I walked out of the castle, heading straight for the Quidditch pitch, digging in my robes for the silver snitch replica I always kept on my person. In what seemed like far too long a time to me, I had mounted my broom and released the snitch, which hovered in front of my face for an instant before darting out into the sky, leaving behind a faint whistle as its wiry wings cut the air.

I sped off in pursuit, and spent the rest of the lunch hour sidetracking my mind away from the one major problem I couldn't stop thinking of otherwise. I caught the snitch a grand total of three times in that hour, and was damned proud of myself for it. My fastest time to catch the thing was about two minutes, while the slowest was more than half an hour, though I had a good excuse, since Potter showed up. But, all in all, I managed to sufficiently distract myself from the problem at hand, because I didn't spare a single thought for Ginny while I was in the air.

On the whole, I was very, very satisfied.

It wasn't until the next day at breakfast that I actually did something about Ginny and Todd's disgustingly cute relationship. I turned to Pansy and I said, "You know, I'm not sure those two should be together. I mean, they're too cute for words, that kind of thing shouldn't be allowed."

She just giggled and shook her head, thinking I was kidding. I wasn't. But she didn't seem to pick up on that.

So I turned my attention away from Pansy, and back to Ginny and Todd, glaring at them, my stormy gray eyes expressing the hatred I felt towards this invader on my property. Er...did I just say that? I meant...oh, never mind.

Ginny slowly got up and came over. She flopped down across from me, beaming. "I've made friends my own age in my own house. Aren't you pleased with me?" she said, and I felt myself wanting to slap Todd upside the head for having pasted that adorable smile on her face. Adorable smile? Where'd that come from?

I looked levelly back at her. "Ginny, I don't like him."

"What do you mean, you don't like him?"

"I mean, I don't like him. There's something wrong about him, something that doesn't fit. I don't like it," I said, meaning every word.

Ginny just stared at me. "Who do you think you _are_? He's nice, he's sweet, and I like him. What's wrong with him?"

I hesitated. "I...it's weird, Ginny, but you have to trust me on this. Get away from him."

Her face was flushing as she stood up; I could tell she was angry now, and that she was going to give me a talking to. "You don't even know him, Draco Malfoy! How can you say he's not a nice guy when you've never even spoken a single word to him? For your information, Todd is a nice, kind boy who likes me for who I am, not _what _I am. That's more than I can say for you! You're a crap friend, you know that?" she hissed at me, and my eyes widened in surprise. This entire scene was proving to be very...Slytherin of her.

I looked up at her, and slowly stood as well. "I may be a crap friend, but you're just bloody blind, aren't you? Just out for a bit of hanky panky, hmmm?" I replied levelly, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them. I didn't mean to say those things but...something in me _really _didn't want Ginny dating this...Todd.

She gaped at me, her mouth opening and closing. She finally drew herself up to her full height, and glared down her freckled nose at me. "No matter what you say, Draco Lucius Malfoy, Todd is still a nice, caring young man, and he is still my boyfriend. I'm not breaking up with him just because _you _think I should." With that, she turned on her heel and walked briskly back to that Todd fellow, leaving me to stew in my own jealousy.

I felt completely worthless. I couldn't even stop the girl I considered to be my best friend from making what I was sure was the worst mistake of her life.

* * *

hanky panky: making out, basically.

A/N: Short-chapter-itis again. And thank you for not murdering me, and I hope you enjoyed uber-jealous!Draco and Pissed-off!Ginny.

As usual, thanks to my wonderful beta Herbie, whom I love to no end.


	7. Obsession

A/N: Hello again one and all, my dearest little readers! It's been a bit of a while, I'm afraid, but blame that on school and my sudden inability to write anything on the computer. Instead, this chapter came out slowly in my notebook during Latin class. So forgive me if it's short or otherwise under par.

Enjoy!

* * *

I had been spending most of my free time either shut up in my rooms or out on the Quidditch pitch. The time I spent hiding away usually (and improbably) became entirely committed to schoolwork. It was easy enough to keep my mind off of Ginny as long as I kept it occupied with other work.

Over the period of time that Ginny and Todd spent together, my grades slowly rose until at last I was second in the class only to Granger, and by a small margin. Despite the fact that I still harbored a deep-seated hatred and contempt for Potter, I gradually began to spend time with Granger, seeking to better my grade further and pass her in the rankings. It was hard work, but I found some kind of inexplicable solace in it.

I spent the remainder of my time tiring my body, so that when I retired to my bed, rest came more easily that it usually did. A tired body and a tired mind inevitably helped to lure me, a proven insomniac, to sleep.

Sunny afternoons became designated for solo Quidditch practice, chasing my snitch up and down the pitch, and learning new moves on my broom. These stunts I picked up mostly from watching other seekers, both live (Potter) and magically reproduced.

In the small amount of spare time I had, I applied myself to the abstract expressionism of art, letting all of my daily anguishes drain away through my hand into the lines it carved into the pages of my sketchbook.

All in all, my days passed as such: wake up, groom, eat, go to classes, practice Quidditch, eat, go to the rest of my classes, practice Quidditch, study, eat, study, draw, groom, sleep. And somehow, this overly-full schedule managed to extricate Ginny from my thoughts—as long as I kept my eyes from wandering during meals.

However, she always managed to slip through the bars of the cell I'd put her into within my subconscious when I drew. The curves of her body, the tint of her cheek, the flaming redness of her hair; it all emerged when I let myself go, as I inevitably did when I drew. Page after page of my sketchbook I filled with Ginny. She was becoming something of an obsession, even when I was away from her.

I only allowed myself fantasies of her. I hadn't spoken a single word to her since our heated argument in the Great Hall.

All of my friends thought I was going crazy.

Pansy had taken to fawning over me again now that Ginny appeared to be out of my picture.

At first I tried to ignore her. But she became more persistent in her mission, always managing to find excuses to touch me. I told her to stop. She doubled her efforts. Soon, she was trying to sit in my lap and was calling herself my girlfriend. Until I gave her real proof that I honestly didn't want her, she wasn't going to stop, either.

One day Pansy came to visit me in my rooms. I was busy with my sketchbook, sprawled comfortably on my oversized bed, my bare feet hanging off of the side, my hand threaded through my fine hair, my elbow propping it up as my other hand sketched. I paused to set down my orange pencil, trading it for a red one. I always drew Ginny in red; different shades of red and orange.

The way I drew her was extremely systematic. I drew in a simple sketch with a regular pencil, and then I would change it out for an orange one, adding color to her hair and her skin. A red pencil followed soon after that, putting a blush upon her cheeks and neck, and darker hues in her hair. I didn't usually draw her clothed; instead, I drew her fair skin, in all its bare beauty, as I imagined it would look. This wasn't out of some inner sexual desire on my part. No, it was out of a desire for Ginny herself—all of her. And this was the only way I could have her.

I didn't hear Pansy come in. She, like Ginny, Crabbe, Goyle, and my godfather Severus, had been keyed into my wards, and knew all of the passwords that would dissolve them. I was in the middle of adding the flush to Ginny's neck, shoulders, and chest that I figured would be there if I were to see her so close (and so exposed) in person. My hand shifted down to the twin globes of her breasts as Pansy spoke, giving me my first proof that she was present. "Still in denial, Draco?" she asked, slinking over to my bed.

"No...that's you, love," I replied quietly, not looking up from my work as I shaded in the warmth only my eyes could see in Ginny.

Pansy peered over my shoulder, and pulled a face. "A bit pervy, don't you think?" she questioned, obviously referring to my sketch.

"Not at all," was my short, undisturbed answer. I paused to admire my own work. I added a few finishing touches, and rolled off of my bed, walking to a section of the stone wall. I pressed the sketch against it, where it stayed, for I'd placed a sticking charm upon the stones. I stepped back with a hint of a smile.

Almost all of that part of the wall was covered in my various sketches of Ginny.

"Obsess much?" commented Pansy dryly, coming to stand by my side.

"Can't help it," I muttered, in a very un-Malfoy-esque tone. "But I hope it discourages you some," I added.

This was very, very wrong of me. My father had promised me to Pansy years ago. I was _supposed_ to be madly in love with her, not trying to avoid her affections! That was why she had been included in my wards from the start. Father expected her to be in my rooms often, and expected her to "spend the night" on occasion; I had yet to let her stay through a night. I didn't trust her not to try and take advantage of me. See, Pansy was one of those girls; she'd jump you as soon as speak to you. Needless to say, I always kept my guard up around her.

"I doubt you could ever discourage me, Draco," she retorted. She was close enough now that I could feel her body heat radiating towards me.

"Back off, please, Pansy," I said softly, evenly, my voice holding the menacing tone of warning and command that only a Malfoy seemed to be able to control. My eyes were as cold as ice, but devoid of emotion.

A hideous simper emerged on her face. She took a step back. "Why don't you want me, Draco?" she asked pathetically, turning so that she was face-to-face with me. Now all I could see was her, blocking out my wall of sketches.

"Why don't I want you," I repeated calmly. I got right up in her face. "Why don't I want you? Maybe it's because you're a bloody beastly little girl who only wants _me _because of my money and status. You're nothing but a blinkered, gold-digging whore unable to do anything but what you're asked to do. And since you're so damned _good _as taking orders, Pansy _dear_, why don't you move your arse right out of my room and leave me the _hell alone_!" I finished, my eyes now filled with an angry fire.

Pansy stared at me with wide eyes, and slowly backed away from me. She hit the wall, gasped, and ran straight for the door, not stopping to look back.

I sighed in relief, and collapsed onto my bed, rubbing my eyes. At least that stupidity was over. Or at least I could think it was.

* * *

A/N: Here's a poll. Please leave your answers as reviews.

Who would like to see skinny-dipping!Draco?

How amazing! This chapter was longer than most of the others I've written! Perhaps I ought to try writing at school more often. :D

And again, much love to my beta Herbie (hearts!).


	8. Reunited

A/N: Amazing! Perhaps you people ought to encourage me to pay less attention at school, because the less attention I pay, the more gets written, and the faster it gets written! Aren't you happy? Two chapters within two weeks of each other! Be proud of me.

* * *

The next morning I rolled out of bed and completed my toilette before going down to the Great Hall. Pansy studiously avoided me, for which service I was extremely grateful. The last thing I felt like doing was dealing with her shit.

The day went as usual. From breakfast I went to class, from class I went to lunch. Lunch brought on a spot of Quidditch practice, followed by more classes. From there I went to my room and did my homework, then went once again to the pitch to practice. Sweaty and tired, I dragged myself back to my rooms for some pampering.

I turned the taps of my bath and had stripped off my shirt and kicked off my shoes when I heard a feeble knock on the door. Grumbling to myself and thinking Pansy had come back, I didn't bother to put my shirt back on, my pale, muscled chest exposed to view as I opened the door. "What do you want?" I growled, only to have Ginny fall into my arms. "What the fuck?" I mumbled, as it all came clear. My Mark burned. "Fuck!" I repeated, with more conviction, guiding Ginny into a chair and retreating to the bathroom to stop the tub filling. I pulled on a fresh shirt and my robes, shoving my feet into my shoes, scooping Ginny up without thought, and carrying her shaking body down into the direct passage that opened onto my rooms. I was already tired and strained, and Ginny's dead weight was no help, serving only to slow me down and hinder my progress.

The slower that I went, the longer it took me to arrive at our meeting place, and the more agonizing my Mark became. Now I felt almost half-blinded by the pain, staggering through the dampness of the tunnel with my burden. At last I burst through the trap door, and managed to get us to out meeting spot. The ache in my arm subsided, and I spoke gently to Ginny, waking her from her pained unconsciousness. This was the most contact we'd had in weeks; my heart longed for it to have been under less dangerous circumstances.

When she woke, we both took our places. The others were still arriving, leaving me to muse on how exhausted I felt. I longed for the coolness of water on my hot skin and down my throat, quenching my thirst.

Voldemort emerged into the circle, his serpentine face beaming grotesquely at Ginny. It made my fingers itch to slap his face, but I clenched my fists by my sides in silence, my eyes burning out from beneath my mask. I was suddenly grateful for the substance that divided my face from the world. It hid my displeased, quasi-angry expression from the Dark Lord. It kept me from suspicion, and from almost certain death.

As Voldemort circled Ginny, his voice rasped through my ears, causing my rage to double. The fact that he was trying to sweet talk her and possess her with words only served to triple it. I felt like I was shaking with fury, anger pulsing white-hot behind my eyes, giving me a fearsome headache.

At last he turned to other business and I felt the hatred dissolving. His occupation with real matters gave me time to cool off, though I was still hot and sweaty, my skin itching from the salty damp. I didn't dare scratch, though, for the action would draw attention to me.

Finally the meeting came to a close, allowing me to leave the circle. I went back to the castle the long way, using my wand to temporarily transfigure my Death Eater robes into school clothes in case anyone saw me.

I made my way to the lake, intending to cool off. I hadn't had the patience to go all the way to my room for a hot shower, not when there was a cool bath so much closer.

It briefly occurred to me that I could transfigure my robes into a swimsuit, but I wasn't really worried. After all, who would be out at such an hour to see? So, without concern, I stripped, my clothes falling to the ground, leaving me totally bare.

The gentle breeze caressed my damp skin, bringing me goose bumps as I approached the edge of the lake. I stretched a bit, and slowly entered the chilly water of the lake, the moon's rays gilding my body with silver. As I slid beneath the surface, I felt as if all of my discomforts—all of my problems—were being washed away with all of the unpleasant leavings of the evening. I was finally at rest.

--- --- ---

I left the meeting feeling dirty and used, wanting to erase Voldemort's degrading caresses with someone else's touches. I didn't know how to find the shortcut to Draco's rooms, so I was left on my own to try and sneak back to the castle.

The forest was empty and imposing, filled with sinister shadows that frightened me. I slipped among the trees in silence, pulling my robes close around myself. It was dark, and I was afraid—but I could see a spot of light in the distance, and I hurried on through the darkness, heading for the light. At last I burst from the trees; what I saw made me gasp in surprise.

There stood Draco by the edge of the lake, not too far from where I had broken from the cover of the forest. This in itself wouldn't have been odd—but he was naked. Naked as the day he was born! I blinked and covered my mouth with one hand to stifle my gasp, frozen in shock. The moon shone down upon his nudity, sculpting his body out of silk and silver. I'd never really noticed before, but now I could see every line of his frame, his angularity dissolved by the gentle curves of muscles I hadn't ever taken note of. I felt like I had no right to watch him, he was so beautiful. It was as if some ancient god had jumped out of the history books into this world—a deity playing at being human, having chosen the best of the best for his body, which rippled with muscle covered with skin of pale marble. For an instant, I wished that I possessed Colin Creevey's camera, so that I might capture this breathtaking moment for all eternity.

But I had no camera, so I watched instead as he slipped into the lake, his beauty contained by its frigid waters.

A sigh escaped my lips as I leaned back against the nearest tree, my dark robes blending me in with the shadows of the forest, providing me with adequate camouflage so that I might remain gaping at Draco, a lone voyeur.

I was content to watch him as he swam a few laps of the lake in silence; only the rough bark of the tree behind me digging into my palms kept me feeling attached to this world. I felt like I was intruding, and I wished to leave Draco's ethereality to the night—but my feet would not move me. I was stuck fast, fascinated. None of my senses were working but sight; I didn't hear my attacker until he was upon me.

--- --- ---

My calming dip was shattered when I felt the blaring of Ginny's charm in my head. She was nearby, and in grave danger—I had to get to her!

I scrambled out of the water in a frenzy, heedless of my nudity, all of the frustration I'd felt during the evening re-emerging in one grand exodus. Without thought, I rushed towards the trees, hurrying through the forest to Ginny's aid.

By the time I'd arrive, I'd earned myself several scratches, the bright crimson of my blood contrasting greatly with the creamy paleness of my skin.

I jumped Ginny's attacker without delay, my fists flying and my rage building. I pummeled the man relentlessly, landing punch after punch to him. I didn't even know what he'd done to her, but my anger was fueling me, driving me at this stranger.

That same white-hot rage I'd felt to begin with had returned, clouding up my sight but not impeding the beating I was still giving this man.

When at last he fell unconscious, I face him a disgusted kick to the stomach. Only then did I recall that I was naked. And Ginny was staring, rapt. "You alright?" I asked, attempting to break the spell. Without giving it a thought, I muttered, "Accio clothes." And they came fairly quickly.

But I hadn't used my wand.

* * *

Beta's Note: She wasn't lying when she said that it was two chapters within two weeks. I'm just lazy, and then I got busy, oddly enough. So...blame me for its lateness.


	9. First Snow

A/N: Another day, another chapter. Hurrah for me.

Since I haven't made it clear yet when this story takes place during the year, this chapter is set during the winter, getting closer to Christmas.

Oh, and from hereon in, the story will be a little more explicit in the sexual bits. Just so you know. Still R, though.

* * *

I stared at the clothing in my hand for a moment before I recalled the fact that I was naked. Ginny politely turned her back as I put on my pants and shirt. "So. I wasn't really paying attention. Who's he?" I asked, pointing at my victim with my foot as I buttoned up my shirt.

She shrugged as we began to walk back towards the castle. "What's-his-name, the big ugly one."

"That's helpful," I muttered, pulling on my robes. I wished I knew who it was—then I could keep an eye out for him later. _Damn Ginny for being so attractive. Too many men look at my girl that way._ Wait. _My _girl? Ginny, sadly, was not mine. I had no right to possess her so.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we reached the entrance to the castle, she rested a hand on my arm. "Can I stay with you tonight, Draco? I know your rooms are the safest place for me," she said, looking frightened into my eyes.

I couldn't resist her anything when she was looking at me like that. I sighed softly and nodded my agreement. She thanked me, and I just shrugged her gratitude off.

We made our way to my rooms, where I shrugged out of my robes, letting them fall on the floor carelessly. I pointed Ginny to the bed, making my way across the room to the couch as I unbuttoned my shirt. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she was embarrassed; her face was bright red, as flush as I had drawn—_fuck._

I sighed in resignation as I took off my shirt. She would see my sketches, and she would know. She would know that despite how busy I was and how little I saw her, I was obsessed with her. It was done, then. She knew. _Fuck._

Sure enough... "Draco?"

Another sigh escaped my lips. "Yes, Ginny?" I replied, resting a hand on the back of the couch, running the other through my hair. I realized I still needed a shower as my fingers felt how gross my hair was.

"Come here, please?"

I walked into the bedroom, hands in my pockets, thinking that I was done for. I thanked whatever being were listening that I'd thought to charm my nudes to appear as if they were clothed after Pansy's last visit. "Yes, Ginny?" I repeated, amazed at how calm and level my voice was.

"Did you draw these?" she asked, tracing the tips of her fingers across a penciled cheek, her eyes full of wonder and appreciation.

"Yes," I answered simply, wondering what her purpose behind this was.

She took a step back from the wall, looking up at the expanse of drawings on the wall. Suddenly she said, "May I have one?"

My eyes widened in surprise. She wanted to _keep _one of my sketches?! For a moment I panicked. Why did she want one? Was she going to take it and show all of her friends and giggle with them about how I was obsessed with her, and how I couldn't stop thinking about her? It would certainly be an effective form of blackmail, at any rate. _Fuck, fuck, fuck! _I thought. But I knew that if I refused, she'd ask why, and I wouldn't have any good reason to say no. So instead, I said, "Alright." I paused for a moment, and looked up and down the expanse of drawings. "Which one do you want?" I asked her.

She trailed her fingers lightly across the countless pages that papered that section of my wall, obviously fascinated. Her hand finally stopped just short of one of my more scandalous drawings; well, it was scandalous in reality, but with the charm it looked as harmless as any of the paintings that lined the walls of the castle.

The reality of the sketch was thus: I had drawn Ginny lying on her stomach on her bed, nude of course, her face supported on her hands as she read, her breasts flattened slightly as they pressed against the ground, one leg stretched out behind her, the other bent, her foot pointing lazily into the air. Her hair fell in lazy red cascades around her face, one curled wisp hanging down in front of one of her eyes. Her ass curved pertly up into the air, the twin globes rising from her thighs and arching upwards to meet the small of her back. I had managed to draw it at such an angle that the viewer could not glimpse her most private of areas. It reminded me of the style of the classic masters, and that was the way that I viewed it.

But to any other eye, the picture appeared to be Ginny in the same position, dressed in her school shirt, skirt, socks, and tie. A normal, everyday Ginny, only made extraordinary by the fact that I had managed to capture her so fully in two dimensions of color.

Despite how mundane the subject was, there was a hint of something extra about her, some kind of gleam that seemed only able to be expressed through the mysterious twinkle that I had depicted glinting in her eyes. However, that in and of itself made the one drawing entirely worthwhile; I wasn't surprised when she pressed her fingers gently against the corner of it. "This one," she said, her voice betraying her wonder at my ability.

"Very well," I merely replied, stepping to her side and covering her fingers with mine, tapping the corner of the drawing once and then grabbing hold of it, peeling it back slowly, removing it from the wall, leaving what seemed like an enormous blank spot in its place. "Think of it as an early Christmas gift," I added, holding it out to her.

She got up on her tiptoes and hugged me. "Thank you, Draco."

"Happy Christmas, Ginny."

--- --- ---

When I awoke the next morning, I heard the sound of water running, and knew that Ginny must have been making use of the amazing bathroom facilities that my rooms as Head Boy came equipped with. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be out for quite some time, but it was a Saturday, so I allowed myself to lie back upon the couch, folding my arms behind my head and staring up at the ceiling, contemplating anything and everything. I had a most likely naked Ginny in my bathroom, and I was still lying abed. What was wrong with me?

When I finally took the initiative to rise from my resting place on the sofa, I shuffled into my bedroom to get some clothes. Ginny was just coming out of the bathroom wearing nothing but one of my enormous, silver-trimmed green towels; she squeaked a bit when she first saw me, ducking back into the bathroom, but as soon as I left the room, she emerged once again—I could hear her rummaging through my drawers in search of the extra set of clothes that she had taken to keeping in my rooms pre-Todd. Todd. The name sent a thrill of anger down my spine, one that I tried my best to ignore.

I succeeded Ginny in the bathroom, taking my own sweet time about it before finally emerging in my robe. Ginny was standing at the window, wearing what looked like my shirt, a skirt that was a bit too large for her, and a huge smile. "Guess what, Draco!" she exclaimed with glee, beaming at me.

"What's that?" I asked, tying the robe around my waist.

"First snow!" she fairly well shrieked, pointing at the window. Sure enough, hints of frost touched the panes, clouding the view of the white-coated winter wonderland that lay in silence outside. Fat flakes of snow fell past us, and I felt myself smiling as well. There was something about Ginny's grin that I just couldn't resist.

After I dressed and searched through all of my clothes for a suitable cloak and scarf for Ginny, we rushed up from the dungeons outside, where we both immediately began to laugh. Ginny spun around in circles, her arms flung out and her tongue protruding from her mouth as I packed a snowball behind my back. Without a warning, I threw it at Ginny. It hit her in the arm, sending her off-balance and toppling over into the snow in a fit of giggles.

It wasn't long before the two of us had started an all-out snowball war; some of the others had come out to enjoy the snow as well, so we found ourselves captains of opposing teams in the fray. After a while, when Ginny's fingers were numb through, we stumbled inside, leaning on one another for support due to how weak we were from laughter.

At last we managed to straighten up some, though Ginny's fingers were still cold. I held her hands in mine in an attempt to warm them, still grinning at her like a fool. This was the most time that we'd spent together in weeks, and we were both enjoying ourselves. Or at least, I was enjoying myself.

I could see the tip of my drawing protruding from a pocket in Ginny's borrowed cloak, which made me smile a bit more. She didn't seem to want to let it go just yet. Granted, she had yet to return to her room and have a chance to tack it up to her wall, but the fact that she hadn't left it in my room to get later was comforting. I knew she would care for the sketch as much as I had.

I looked down at her, my icy eyes twinkling with the warmth of our recent activity, and reluctantly released her hands, which I had succeeded in warming. I tugged gently on the ends of her scarf—a green and silver Slytherin scarf that I had left over from first year, since it was too small now to be in proportion to the rest of my body—smiling at her. She looked so adorable wearing my clothes. If only she were wearing just that shirt and scarf...

I pushed my mind away from that thought, and instead sighed softly. I had to let her go. Todd was bound to be waiting for her up in the Gryffindor Tower. I let go of the ends of the scarf, took one of her hands, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "G'bye, Ginny," I said softly, before I walked off, disappearing from her view among the multitudes who were crowding the entrance hall.

Upon my return to my room, I removed my scarf and my cloak, hanging them by the door. I shook my head, sighing again as I walked slowly into my living room, intending to get some work done so that I wouldn't be thinking about Ginny so much.

Just when I thought I was safe from all horrors, I came face-to-face with the worst horror of all. My desk chair spun around, and a bright voice cried, "Hello Draco, my little rapscallion!"

I froze. There was only one person in the world that would _ever _dare to call me a "rapscallion."

My father.

* * *

A/N: I hadn't originally intended for this to be funny, but the story has been growing as I write. The idea to have Lucius come and visit hit me out of the blue. Originally I was going to skip from the first snowfall straight to Christmas, but that seemed a bit too much of a jump. I was insanely glad when Lucius smacked me across the face. You'll see more of him next chapter, trust me. I hope you enjoy it.

Keep on reviewing! It makes a world of difference to know that people are actually reading this.


	10. Christmas

A/N: A belated happy Thanksgiving to you all! I would've posted this sooner if not for the holiday. Rather appropriate, now that everyone's in the Christmas mood.

I cut out most of the angsty!Draco and gave you what is, basically, and entire chapter of almost entirely mindless fluff. Enjoy!

* * *

The weeks passed until Christmas break had arrived. Mother had requested that I come home for the holiday, but I didn't particularly care to spend a week with my father—not because he was gay, but because I didn't want to hear about his relationship with my godfather day after day after day. So, in the end, I chose to remain at school.

I saw off all of my cronies (since none of them would _ever_ choose to stay at school, no matter the circumstances) and sat in the Common Room staring into the fire. I didn't feel like doing much. The gentle flickering of the flames was mesmerizing, and soon I found myself drifting off.

I was startled into wakefulness by a loud noise by the entrance. Someone was shouting. "Merlin!! Just let me in, why don't you? It's not like anyone cares what anyone else does over the holidays!"

The voice was feminine and familiar; in my half-asleep state I was finding it difficult to pinpoint its owner. The outraged shouting continued, until finally it was so much of an annoyance that I rolled off of the couch and went to see who was there. The wall moved out of my way, revealing Ginny, who was very red in the face. "Oh…hi, Ginny."

"I checked your rooms, but you weren't there."

"Obviously not, since I'm here."

"Yes." She paused, looking at me. "Can I come in?"

"Oh. Yes." I stepped out of the way, and she came into the room, looking around. She gazed in silence at our Common Room, and I wondered if she was comparing it to that of her own house.

"Why are you still here?" I asked as the portrait moved back.

"Ron always stays with…Potter," she replied, setting a small bag atop a chair. "So I stay, too."

"What's with the bag?"

"I don't want to stay with them, and I heard you were still here."

"I see. Well, would you rather stay here in one of the empty rooms, or with me?"

"With you, if it's not too much trouble?"

"No, I have my couch, it's no trouble. C'mon." I picked up her bag, and together we went back to my rooms. It was already the late afternoon, so after we settled Ginny's things we decided on a game of Wizard's Chess, in which Ginny beat me soundly. As the sun set, we halted our second game and went to my windows to watch, both of us taking a seat on the large ledge in front of the biggest window. For a while we sat in silence, gazing upon the horizon as the setting sun painted the clouds with fire and molten gold.

"Ginny?"

"Mm?"

"What do you see in Todd?"

She paused, drawing her knees up to her chest, considering. "He's very sweet to me," she finally said, as if that was the only reasons she needed to give.

I looked at her. "Anyone with half a mind would be sweet to you."

She blushed, looking away. "Well, he's funny. And nice."

"I could name at least ten guys who are nice and funny."

I could see that she was running out of ideas. "He's cute. And good at Quidditch."

"Even Potter is cute and good at Quidditch."

"Well, you tell me one other person who's all those things!" she exclaimed, obviously upset that I had seen right through all of her claims.

There was one person I could think of, obviously, but I was determined to stay away from our relationship. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. "Oliver Wood."

"Ooooh." She sighed. "Alright, you win."

I let the topic drop, and we sat quietly, watching the sunset. Once night had fallen, we made our way down to dinner, where we laughed together over the fairies that circled the room, giving off light. The ceiling was a stormy gray; fat snowflakes falling from it that disappeared before they got any further than the top of the enormous Christmas tree.

The star at the top was coated with a thin layer of frost, the highest branches dusted lightly with snow, giving the whole thing the appearance of being a small green mountain studded with little towns made out of the fairy-lights. It was an awe-inspiring sight, one I was glad to share with Ginny.

We took a seat at one of the tables, starting to eat. "So," I began, serving myself, "Can you think of any other cute, sweet, funny, and nice Quidditch players?" I asked, wanting to see if she would come up with me as an answer.

She took a sip of her drink, clearly thinking it over. "Well, my brother, but he doesn't count because he's my brother."

"Which brother?" I asked with a smirk.

She laughed, a sound I lived for. It was a musical and clear laugh, like a set of chimes ringing.

"Seriously, though," I said.

She frowned, chewing on the end of a candy cane. She was obviously really thinking hard about this. "Oh! Oh! You know, what's-his-face, the Hufflepuff beater!"

I nodded. "You have a point." That was a bit of a letdown, I had to admit. I had been entirely glossed over. I sighed, and returned to my meal. We ate quietly from then on, sitting together in companionable silence. Once we'd both finished and felt satisfyingly full, we got up and started back to my rooms.

I saw a vaguely familiar first year Slytherin peek around the corner as we approached. He squeaked and ran off in the opposite direction. Suspicious now, I led Ginny toward my rooms. I opened the door with caution, looked around, and sighed in relief. There was nothing amiss.

As Ginny closed the door behind her, she began to blush and giggle.

"What is it?" I asked.

She pointed at the ceiling over my head. I looked up slowly, to see…

Mistletoe.

I found myself blushing as well as she came closer, a wicked glint in her eye.

"You know the rule about mistletoe, don't you?" she asked. I blushed a deeper shade of pink and she smiled. "You stand under mistletoe, and someone has to kiss you."

I gulped. "D-don't you think Todd would mind?"

"It will be our little secret." She approached me with that predatory look in her eyes, sending thrills down my spine. She placed her small hands on my chest and stood on tiptoe, pressing her lips against mine.

Her lips were soft as silk and hot as fire, making me burn and yearn at the same time. The kiss was gentle and tender, like an embrace; I didn't want it to end. I could feel the latent desire she harbored for me waking against my lips. It was like a floodwater—I sensed its extent in the brief moment that we kissed—but only a trickle was escaping her carefully built dam of emotions. I wouldn't say it to her, but she had just given me hope. Somewhere deep within her, she wanted me just as much as I wanted her; I had a chance, after all.

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. She drew away, her eyes closed, and let her hands fall to her sides. Her cheeks burned as she opened her eyes slowly, looking down at the floor. I looked down at her in silence, bringing a hand up to trace the line of her jaw, to touch her searing lips cautiously with my fingertips.

Then, suddenly, the moment was ruined. The sprig of mistletoe exploded into a shower of red, green, and white confetti. A note drifted down; I reached out and plucked it from the air.

_Draco! Hope you enjoyed my little gift. Happy Christmas!_

_Blaise_

I smiled as I shook my head. Sometimes I really liked my friends.

* * *

A/N: The next chapter will hold a small bit of D/G fluff, followed by more plot. We're getting closer to solving the problems, just hang in there! 


	11. Dilemma

A/N: Sorry this took me so long…I've had almost three chapters typed for a couple of weeks now, but we're in the season of midterms and my beta doesn't have time to spare for reading my chapters. Forgive me. And I promise you that the questions will be answered…in the next chapter, and the few chapters after that. No answers in this one, though, I'm afraid.

(I'll try to post the next two chapters soon, though, since they're both finished and waiting to be beta'd.)

* * *

Christmas came and went, and I kept hoping against hope that some kind of incident like the mistletoe would come along again. But no such thing happened, and before I knew what was happening, the holiday was over and Ginny had gone back to her dormitory. I was alone once more.

I returned to my routine, exhausting myself with my labors. As usual, I studied hard and worked even harder. Quidditch practice was beginning to tone and build muscles I didn't even know I had. I began to add to my regime, just to find new ways to occupy myself. I found a spell to expand an empty closet into a room, and converted it into an exercise room, filled with weights and other devices to enhance my muscles and strength.

One particularly cold day on a weekend, I was forced to remain inside. While I was lifting a particularly heavy set of weights, a scrawny-looking owl tapped impatiently on the window I'd added. I set my barbell down, sliding down the bench and out from beneath it, walking over and pushing the window open. The owl settled on the windowsill, a rather bulky package clutched into its talons. It released its load and I gave it a scratch of appreciation. Satisfied that it had done its duty, the bird gave my fingers a gentle nibble and swooped back out the window, leaving me with the parcel.

I picked it up, squeezing it. It gave beneath my fingers, and I tore away the brown paper, revealing a cheery red-wrapped present tied with a silver bow—_perfect union of Gryffindor and Slytherin,_ I thought to myself—and then proceeded to destroy that paper as well.

Wondering what was inside, I opened the package to find…a jumper. I frowned slightly, shaking it out. It was dark green, emblazoned with a huge "D" on the front across the chest. A letter dropped from within, and I bent to pick it up so that I could read it.

_Dear Draco,_

_Sorry this took me so long. I couldn't work on it while I was staying with you, so I had to wait to finish it. Happy Christmas!_

_Ginny_

I smiled and set the note aside, shucking my shirt and pulling the jumper over my head. The wool was warm against my skin, and I felt a wave of comfort roll over me. Ginny had taken the time and care to knit me a jumper. Some dark corner of my mind suggested that there would be a matching sweater on another man, bearing a large "T"; but I pushed the possibility from my mind.

Now we had each shared a bit of ourselves with one another. I had given up a drawing, and she had given up a piece of her handiwork. I figured that, on some level, the two of us were even.

Satisfied, I returned to my bench, where I found my way underneath the barbell, my hands closing around the metal and gripping it tightly. I pushed with my arms, enjoying the way the weight itself resisted my efforts.

Then I heard someone banging on my door, sighed, and again set down my weight. I wormed my way out from beneath it and grabbed a towel from a small stack in one corner of the room, throwing it about my neck and wiping the sweat from my face as I opened the door. "Yeah?" I said, my face buried in terrycloth.

"Draco," said Ginny, "Todd's missing."

I blinked, and let my towel fall back down against my chest. He was missing? What luck!

She smiled weakly at me, one hand coming up to rest on my chest, right in the middle of the D. "Nice jumper, by the way."

"Why thank you," I replied with a hint of a smirk, pulling the door open fully and allowing her inside. I gave my face and neck a thorough swabbing with the towel, though my hair still remained damp with sweat. "So when did you see him last?" I asked, trying to sound concerned. It wasn't working. I came off as cold and professional. But maybe that's what Ginny needed right now.

"I saw him this morning at breakfast. And he asked me to meet him in the Common Room just before lunch, and I waited all the way through, but he wasn't there!" she said, sounding upset. She didn't sound as upset as someone who was head over heels for their significant other, though. No, she wasn't terrified; she was merely extremely concerned.

"So breakfast. Hm…that's not much help," I said. I figured that the only reason Ginny was here asking my help was because I was strong, trustworthy, and I was always the one to save her arse. Somehow she seemed to have gotten it into her head that me finding Todd for her was another form of saving her ass. And, I supposed, it was.

After a moment of thought, I finally nodded. "Well, alright. We'll go look for him," I said, scrubbing the towel over my head, my voice a bit muffled by the cloth.

Ginny sighed in relief. "Oh, thank you, Draco," she replied, leaning against my wall. I grunted a reply and grabbed my cloak and my wand, tucking my wand into my pocket, shoving on my boots and putting on my cloak.

"Let's try the pitch first," I said. Despite the bitter cold, there were still some people who braved the weather to practice. They were the die-hard Quidditch players; I had been known to be among that group until I created my weight room.

The two of us left my rooms and the castle, trudging across the grounds to the Quidditch pitch, our teeth chattering as we shivered in the cloaks we clutched tightly to ourselves. As we reached the pitch, the wind began to blow into our faces, and the sky opened, unleashing flurries of snow. We stayed out in the open only long enough to see that those who had been practicing were now hurrying from the changing rooms back to the castle. I looked at Ginny, and with a nod we both headed into the changing rooms, myself to the boys' room and Ginny to the girls' room.

Once inside, I stamped my boots clear of snow and looked around. I called for Todd in the empty changing room, but there was no answer except that of my own voice echoing back to me.

The room was warm from the steam of the recently used showers, so I took off my cloak and took a seat on one of the benches, dropping my head into my hands as I closed my eyes and thought about where Todd might have gone. When I finally had an idea about where to look, I got up and put my cloak back on again. I went to the door and opened it, only to have a huge gust of wind blow a stinging wave of snowflakes into my face. I shoved the door closed again and sank down to the floor with my back against it.

I stared at the floor in dismal defeat for a while until I heard the door between the boys' and girls' changing rooms open. I looked up to see Ginny sit down next to me. I gave her a questioning glance, and she shook her head, her mouth set in a grim line. I sighed. "Damn," I muttered, cradling my chin in my hand.

We sat there together for a moment listening to the howling of the wind outside the door. Ginny crawled over to me and curled up next to me, leaning against me. "Draco?" she asked, her voice soft and quavering.

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid."

I hesitated before saying, "I'm scared, too."

I put my arm around her and she snuggled into my warmth. It wasn't long before I felt her hot tears soaking my sweater, and heard her soft whimpers and sobs echoing through the empty room. I pulled her closer, rubbing her back in soothing circles, letting her cry herself out. I wasn't sure why she was crying, but it didn't really matter. I had the sense that she needed to get whatever stress it was that was upsetting her so out.

After a while her sobs died down into vague sniffles, and she wiped at her eyes and her nose, slowly drawing away from me. I continued to rub her back gently, and she looked up at me, her dark eyes gleaming, rimmed in red from her recent tears. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice a bit hoarse. I gave her a nod, and she once again buried her face in my chest, not caring about how damp it was.

Soon she drifted off in my lap, and I was left to my own thoughts. I realized dimly that the wind had stopped its dreadful howling; just when it seemed everything was peaceful, my arm began to throb with fire, and I hissed with the pain. Ginny woke up for an instant, her body rigid, her eyes wide, another tear escaping down her face before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed into my lap again.

I took the time to transfigure our clothes into the suitable garb, and with a grunt from the pain of the Mark, I took Ginny into my arms, wrapped her in her cloak, and stood, opening the door onto the beautiful, snowbound world tinted red from the setting sun. I trudged through the snow with a look of determination on my face, realizing in some dark corner of my mind that Ginny seemed to weigh almost nothing in my strong arms.

I carried her through the snow and into the forest, where we were wrapped in a blanket of silence. As my arm stung, I finally carried Ginny into the clearing where we were to meet, setting her down gently on the cold ground and shaking her before I even bothered to look around. What I saw didn't serve to calm my nerves.

* * *

A/N: So there's the end of this chapter. See you in the next one, which should follow shortly! 


	12. Revealed

A/N: Told you it would come soon—I bet you didn't expect the same night, did you, my dears? Like I said, I've had this one written for quite some time, just waiting to be posted. FYI, there's a character switch in the middle of the chapter. Short, but worth it, I hope.

* * *

I woke to a calm voice and a gentle shake, the pain in my body slowly fading away. I opened my eyes to focus them on Draco's face, his worry more than apparent. I reached up, as if in a dream, and touched his pale cheek in silent thanks before I pushed myself up on my elbows, looking around. There were the usual Death Eaters filing into the area, the usual trees, the usual ground. But in the middle of the circle, in the place I usually occupied, Todd was chained to a stake. My boyfriend, taken hostage! What had I done wrong to deserve _his _punishment? "Ginny," he whispered, "help me…"

I stumbled to his side through the snow, tripping once on a patch of ice, until at last I brushed his hair from his forehead and dropped kisses over his face. "Are you alright?" I asked anxiously, running my hands over him; he looked horrible, all battered, bruised, and dirty. He had more than one open wound, and it was all I could do to stop myself from going into hysterics.

He slowly lifted his dark head, and stared into my eyes—but those weren't his eyes that I saw. They were red, blood red, a glaring, horrible color that screamed wrongness.

He stared at me with those terrible eyes, the chains around his wrists falling away, his wounds and hurts dissolving into thin air. He stood slowly, leaving me crouched on the ground, looking up at him. Terror gripped my heart, and I felt certain that tonight, I would die.

--- --- ---

I was forced to stand in silence as I watched the one that I had hated and envied so long deceive Ginny. Flashing red eyes whirled around the circle, and a too-familiar laugh rose through the air, revealing Ginny's precious Todd for who he really was: Lord Voldemort.

Slowly the bone-chilling laugh faded away into nothing, and I watched in anguish as he circled Ginny, who was now sitting upon the ground in shock. Each of his steps raised the temperature of my blood; each glance brought an angry thought into my head.

"Ginevra Weasley…how simple it is to trick you," he said, pausing in his walk.

There followed a brief silence, and then Ginny said, "But…why?"

"Because you would not have had me before. I was weak and disfigured—who could blame you for not being attracted to me as such a misfit? But now I am your dear, sweet, Todd, the American who stole your heart so easily," he replied, his words searing my ears and making me want to bash his head in to silence him. But he wasn't done. Oh, no.

"The boy was coming to Hogwarts either way. I merely…intercepted him, changed his name. He got himself into Gryffindor, and for that I was grateful. After all…who would be suspicious of a Gryffindor? So I commandeered his body, possessing him in the same way that I possessed you, dear little Ginny."

"So…you…it…it was all a lie?" Ginny asked him, pathetically, and the misery in her voice wrenched my heart. At that point in time, I would gladly have broken the circle just to comfort her. But no, I was bound to remain in my spot, watching the events unfold with the kind of icy detachment the others managed to exercise so well.

"Not all of it, my pet," replied the Dark Lord, removing his wand from his pocket and whipping it through the air. He wrote out Todd's name, and then gave his wrist a swift flick; the letters re-arranged themselves to spell out "I AM TOM RIDDLE." His eyes flickered back to their normal brown for an instant, and he bent to Ginny's level as the words faded, dragging his fingers across Ginny's cheek gently, carving burning trails of bitter hatred into my heart. "Of course it wasn't all a lie. This body…it isn't a lie. This body doesn't lie to you." He brought his mouth to her ear, nuzzling it with his nose before saying in a stage whisper so we all could hear, "And it won't lie to you tonight."

A thrill of hate burned through my body, bringing a cold sweat to my brow as bonds appeared around Ginny's wrists, fastening them to the stake even as the shackles clenched around her ankles, leaving her helplessly spread-eagle upon the cold ground before the man who had been so dear to her.

And I could do nothing to stop him. Not unless she asked for my help, because I had never promised her voluntary aid, and that in itself had been implicit in the charm I had given her. I was just as helpless as she was. I could only stand and watch unless she activated that charm, or called out verbally to me.

She thrashed beneath him, or tried to, but her bonds were too tight. He knelt on the ground, and everyone could hear the sound of his zipper coming undone—a slow buzz. I felt like I might explode; there was nothing but burning hatred within me—it was starting to cloud my vision, blocking out the horrid scene in front of me.

I was living and breathing my hatred as Ginny shrieked, trying to discourage the Dark Lord. My back was afire with pain, and I could've sworn my hair was falling into my face as I sweated profusely beneath my robes. The jumper was becoming itchy and uncomfortable.

Then, suddenly, I felt the spot in my head that alerted me to Ginny's strife blaring. I didn't know how she'd done it, but she'd activated her charm.

I felt a mighty roar explode from within me, along with a huge wave of pain, and then…nothing.

* * *

A/N: There you have it, folks. Todd is Voldemort. I promise you'll learn about what's going on with Draco next chapter.

Forgive me for the cliffhanger, but I had to do it. The next chapter is the real confrontation, and there's no sense in spoiling the surprise, now is there?


	13. Defeated

A/N: Another (fairly) quickly posted chapter, aren't you lucky! We're getting ever closer to having all of the questions answered, I promise. You'll even find the origin of the title here! Oh, and this chapter is from Ginny's P.O.V., just so you know.

* * *

I struggled as best I could, shrieking beneath Todd as the Dark Lord within him attempted to claim me as his once and for all. My necklace slipped down around my neck, the charm falling to the ground. I turned my head, straining to reach it. Finally my fingers closed around the tiny thing, and, almost immediately, I heard a roar of rage. My eyes widened as I turned my head in that direction.

What I saw took my breath away. There stood Draco, his clothes at his feet, left in nothing but his pants. The jumper lay in shreds upon the ground, along with his robes. He looked…beautiful. His hair seemed longer, paler, and he seemed taller. His skin shone silver, gilded with darkness and starlight. He looked like he had just fallen to the earth from the sky, his eyes a cold, hard gray as he reached out a hand and pulled Todd off of me by the back of his shirt.

But the most magnificent thing about him had to be the wings. Sprouting majestically from his shoulder blades was a pair of beautiful wings, as tall as he was, a pearly gray. The moon was at his back, right behind his head, giving him a halo of dusty silver as he held Todd off the ground with only one hand, staring regally down his nose at the evil apparent in what had been my boyfriend's eyes. "You touched her," growled Draco, his voice a bit lower, a bit smoother. It sounded like black velvet. He set Todd down, only to grip him around the neck. "I should snap your neck right here and now."

Something I was sure Voldemort hadn't felt in a long time showed in his eyes: fear.

But he was saved by death at Draco's hand by the appearance of none other than Harry Potter. "Put him, down, Malfoy," called Harry imperiously. "He's mine."

Draco glared down at Todd. "Give me one good reason to turn him over to you."

"It's how it has to be," replied Harry firmly.

"I don't trust you. As far as I'm concerned, you're just as bad as he is. A fucking rapist!"

"That wasn't me," replied the Boy Who Lived calmly.

"I _saw _you, Potter!"

"It wasn't me. Hermione found a cauldron of Polyjuice potion and a bit of my hair in the empty lavatory. We don't know who it really was that attacked Ginny."

Draco eyed Harry suspiciously, and hoisted Todd up into the air, stalking over to Harry with his captive's feet hanging off of the ground. Todd gasped and clawed at Draco's fingers, but my savior's grip was firm. There was no way he was going to let my attacker get away. The contempt in Draco's eyes was clear as he dropped Todd onto the ground at Harry's feet. "There," he growled, his focus still on the Dark Lord as he took a few steps away, watching warily as Todd stood up and dusted himself off. He looked shaken, and his face was flushed from the lack of air he'd just suffered. Before Draco's victim had a chance to do anything, Harry had his wand pressed just under Todd's chin.

For all of Harry's life there had been much hype and apprehension over the moment that would decide the boy's and his rival's fates. Every encounter between the nemeses had raised the bar on the level of anxiety for Harry until at last he could barely escape the media. But when it finally came down to it, everything was simple. Much simpler than anyone had ever thought possible.

I watched as Harry looked coldly into Todd's eyes, and I could see the hatred that the years had built within him. There was icy power brewing behind those eyes, and I watched in horrified fascination as Harry spoke those two fatal words: "Avada Kedavra." His tone was bitter and detached, sending a chill down my spine as the green light flashed from his wand. My eyes widened as something unexpected happened; the light sank beneath his skin, causing it to bubble and ripple. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the terrifying sight, so instead I found myself staring as Todd's skin burst in a million places, the muscle and sinew beneath liquefy, causing the air to stink of burning flesh. With a blinding burst of light as he seemingly exploded, a pile of bones fell to the ground, bleached the brightest, purest white I had ever seen—white enough that they stood out against the snow.

That was when all hell broke loose. The Death Eaters began to scatter as I stood in awed silence, everything seeming sharp and clear in my eyes, all noise sounding distant and far away as Aurors appeared from practically nowhere, capturing Death Eaters left and right. I was alone with the bones, left to myself until a pair of strong arms lifted me off the ground. I shrieked in surprise and looked up only to realize it was Draco.

The world rushed away as he flapped those enormous, beautiful wings, propelling us both up into the clear night air, up into the frigid dark. At first I was afraid as I watched the ground sink beneath us, but then the sensation of flying overcame me. I leaned into Draco's bare chest as we soared away from the danger, closing my eyes and enjoying how it felt to be so free.

It ended all too soon. I felt Draco touch ground again with a small jolt, opened my eyes, and let him set me down. I looked up at him, staring into the alien familiarity. "Draco," I said softly, reaching up to touch his cheek, "Thank you…" He shook his head, pushing away my thanks, and my heart sank for reasons I couldn't comprehend. My fingers roamed upward a bit, touching his silky hair. It was longer, somehow, and all of it… "Your hair," I said, tilting my head to one side slightly as I looked at him, my eyes brimming with wonder. "It's…white," I finished. _White as his bones_, I thought to myself, shivering involuntarily at the thought.

He covered my hand with his own, and put his other arm around me, drawing me into a hug. I buried my face in the warmth of his chest as he enveloped me with his wings. A sense of comfort washed over me, the feelings of anxiety draining away, leaving me with only his warmth and care. My hand slid from his face, and I wrapped my arms around him. I was totally at ease for the first time that I could remember since…well, it had been a long time.

I finally pulled away from him, escaping his embrace. "Thank you," I repeated, though this time the words had a heavier meaning than they had the first time around.

"You're welcome," he replied, his voice still dark and silken. It…enticed me. "Now…come," he said, taking me into his arms once more. "Let me take you back." With those words, he burst back into the air, sending me into a world of euphoric joy and freedom. The wind rushing over my face washed me clean, and left me feeling new and fresh until, at last, he landed once more, this time on the steps of the castle. He enclosed me in his wings once more, looking down into my eyes with the deepest tenderness I have ever had the privilege of glimpsing. He lifted my chin, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. There was a message in the kiss, I was sure of it—but it was lost on me amid the shock of having found something so kind and caring in him. True, I had always known he cared for me, but I never thought he was capable of such infinite passion.

He tore his lips from mine, kissed my forehead, and left me standing in awe as he took off into the air once more.

* * *

A/N: Short, I know, but very much worth it, I hope. More details on Draco's condition and the reason behind Voldemort's easy defeat next chapter! 


	14. United

A/N: Sorry this one took me so long. The holidays got me really busy, which doesn't sound right, but hey. You know how it goes. Happy holidays, some belated! And another chapter that begins from Ginny's P.O.V.

WARNING: This chapter contains a sexual encounter. There is some nudity prior to the actual sex, though, so…that's your warning.

* * *

After I sent Draco's repaired jumper off to him, I went back to Gryffindor Tower, still contemplating his condition, as well as that last kiss. The passion in it was startling. I sat in the Common Room by myself for a while, staring into the flames and wondering what it was that I actually felt and with whom those emotions were associated.

My reverie was interrupted when Hermione came in, grumbling about something or other. "Hello, 'Mione," I said, standing up and straightening my skirt. Of the three members of Hogwarts' Dream Team, I liked Hermione best. My brother I loved because he was my brother—Harry was alright, I suppose. With the whole attempted rape scandal cleared up, I had no reason not to tolerate him.

"Hi, Ginny. Can we talk?" she asked, catching my eyes with a pleading look.

"Yeah, of course," I replied, walking over to her with a smile.

She sighed in relief and then groaned. "Your brother is such a…" she trailed off, running a hand through her hair. "There's not even a word for it!" she exclaimed.

"Calm down, 'Mione," I said levelly, leading the way into my dormitory. She followed me inside, made sure nobody else was there, closed the door, locked it with about five charms, and then silenced it to be sure nobody was listening in on our conversation. We both took a seat on my bed and got comfortable. "Now. What's the problem?" I asked.

"Ron is such a prat!" she exclaimed.

"What did he do now?" I asked, relaxing. This was commonplace. Ron often did things that vexed Hermione, and I was always the one to hear about them first.

"Well, on our way back from the battle, I was talking about how glad I was this was all over, because it meant that I could really get down to studying for N.E.W.T.s. And he made fun of me!"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, that sounds like Ron," I replied, leaning back against the headboard of my bed. "Classic, really."

"It was so out of line and—Ginny, when did you get that?" she asked, pointing above my head. Puzzled, I turned and looked. Above the headboard, I'd hung the picture Draco gave me as my Christmas present.

"Oh, that? A while ago. Why?"

"Where did you get it?" She seemed confused, which was unusual. I wondered why.

"Draco gave it to me."

"Draco gave it to you?"

"Didn't I just say that?" I replied, wondering what she was getting at.

She frowned, crawling over my bed to get a better look at it. "That's odd," she said.

"What's odd?"

"This," she answered, pointing to the bottom right-hand corner of the sketch. I peered at it, not seeing what she was talking about.

"I don't understand. It just looks like a sketch to me."

She shook her head, her bushy hair swaying. "It's more than that," she explained, taking out her wand. She adjusted her finger on the corner of the page, pointing more particularly. I looked where she was pointing, and saw…a small blue squiggle.

"I don't see what the deal is, 'Mione."

"Here, let me show you," she said. "That's a rune. Draco's in Ancient Runes too, so he knows how to use them. This one in particular gives away the fact that he used some kind of glamour. So, basically…he put a glamour on your sketch."

Now it was my turn to frown. "Why would he do that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But I intend to find out." With that, she set her jaw and pointed her wand at the paper on my wall. "_Finite incantatem!_" she said firmly, and I watched, fascinated, as the sketched clothing dissolved, leaving me nude on the page. Hermione stared, aghast. I contemplated it, head cocked to one side.

We sat in silence for a while, until Hermione spluttered, "You're naked! He drew you _naked!_"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah…so?"

"Well, you…you're…you're _naked, _Ginny!!"

I realized then that I wasn't nearly as disturbed by this as I should have been. "It's…pretty," I said slowly. "Oh…he…." My eyes widened.

"What?!" she demanded.

"He thinks I'm pretty. No…not pretty…beautiful…." The realization hit me like the Hogwarts Express. He thought I was _beautiful_. He _liked _me. Obviously not just as a friend. The kisses had been because he needed to kiss me to satisfy the hunger for me that he felt…I was stunned.

"Ginny?" asked Hermione hesitantly.

"Huh?" I replied, blinking.

"I said that it's weird."

"No…no, it's not. He thinks I'm beautiful, 'Mione. He _wants _me."

"…So? It's still weird!"

I shook my head. "No, it makes perfect sense. He didn't want to say anything to me and…oh Merlin." I hit myself on the forehead with the flat of my hand.

"What? What is it?"

"I have to go, 'Mione. I have to go see him. Now."

"Well, whatever for?" she asked, confused.

"To tell him I like him too."

--- --- ---

I heard a knock on my door and stood, stretching. I wondered who would be knocking on my door at this hour, but I said nothing. Still wearing the jumper, I went to the door and opened it, to see Ginny. "Oh, hi, Gi—" I began, only to be cut off by her lips on mine.

She rested her palms on my chest, pushing me inside. She kicked the door shut, her lips hot as flame against mine. I broke the kiss, confused. "What—"

She placed a finger on my lips. "Shh," she said, before kissing me again, a burning, passionate kiss full of mystery and hunger. She wrapped her arms around me, pressing herself against me, her curves molding into my angles. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach, which I found rather endearing.

This time, I let her take her time. Finally she broke the kiss and looked up at me, her chocolate eyes swirling with emotion. "I should've seen it before," she said softly, lifting a hand to caress my cheek. I leaned my head into the softness of that hand as she continued. "I should've realized you care…a long time ago." She took both hands and held my face, bringing it down so she could kiss my cheeks and my forehead and then my lips again. "You love me."

I tried to speak, but she shook her head. "You don't need to say anything, Draco," she said, running a hand through my white hair. "Something else I should've seen a long time ago…I love you, too." With that, she kissed me again, with all the fire and passion I had always seen in her and longed to be mine. And now, suddenly, my dreams had all come true.

She pressed her tongue against my lips, and I parted them, silently giving her permission to do anything and everything she wanted. I would submit to her—she deserved the dominance I was granting her.

I felt the searing velvet of her tongue rubbing against mine and knew that this was heaven. I didn't bother to argue or fight any of what she did, responding only with a moan deep in the back of my throat. As she ran her tongue over the insides of my cheeks, I shivered, a thrill going down my spine and straight to my groin.

Ginny broke the kiss and giggled softly. "Looks like I got your attention." I blushed as she kissed me again, gently, briefly. "It seems we'll have to fix this little problem." And then, shamelessly, she reached down and placed her hand against my groin and arched an eyebrow with a smirk. "Ooh. Not so little problem." That made me blush even more.

She kissed my neck and then sucked on it, nibbling gently. My knees felt like they might give way. "Come now, Draco…surely you can think of something that might help with that problem, hm?"

I blushed again, not daring to answer. What would I say? A hand job? I didn't need her to do that for me—much as I would have loved it.

She trailed a finger down my jaw, trying to force me to look into her eyes. "No ideas?" she asked, the finger continuing down my neck and down my chest, drawing circles on my torso, traveling ever lower. I bit my lip, shaking my head. "I can think of some," she replied, looking down at her finger. She got up on her tiptoes again and whispered into my ear things that served to excite and embarrass me even more. Something told me Ginny was no stranger to any of them.

She shook her head. "However, I'm afraid that you're wearing too much clothing for any of those." With that, she tugged on the jumper, pulling it up over my head. She took a moment to admire my muscles before she reached down and unbuttoned my pants, unzipping them as well. I flushed a bright red as she made me step out of them. "Bedroom. Now," she ordered, pointing. I nodded and hurried in.

I took a seat on the edge of the bed, waiting anxiously. Ginny sauntered in slowly, unbuttoning her blouse. My eyes were riveted on her hands, following them as they undid each and every button, feasting hungrily on the sight of her bare skin. Eventually, her blouse fell away, and she turned around, taking off her skirt as slowly as she'd taken the blouse off. When she was down to her underwear—which, I noted with amusement, was as red as her hair—she turned around, and I was breath taken. She was even more beautiful than I had imagined.

I followed the tantalizing curves of her body with my eyes as she came closer, until she was within reach, and I put out my hands and rested them on her hips gently, trailing them up her sides, my thumbs tracing the outlines of her breasts. I looked up into her eyes with wonder and awe.

Even more wondrous, she leaned forward and whispered into my ear, "Take them off of me. I want you to see me. As I really am."

I nodded, and unclasped her bra, removing it with quick fingers, letting it fall carelessly to the ground as I got up, hooking my thumbs around the waistband of her panties and tugging them down her legs until they pooled on the ground. Still awed, I followed her curves all the way up from her ankles, my hands cupping her breasts gently as I marveled at how soft they were. I went to speak, but she covered my lips with a finger and shook her head. "Don't say a word."

She pushed me down on the bed and, unexpectedly, reached beneath it and removed my sketchbook. "Draw me," she ordered, sitting nude atop my trunk, her arms crossed on the edge of my bed, her head resting in the crook of her arm, one bare breast exposed through the gap between her head and her arms.

I opened the book and flipped to a blank page, going through my process, sketching in every detail that I saw. I went through the whole process—outline, detail, shading—until at last I had it finished and colored (in shades of red and orange, of course) just the way that she was. She stood and crawled over the bed toward me, turning the book to look at it. "You make me look very beautiful, Draco," she said, ruffling my hair with a smile. "Now…let's see if we can't fix your problem."

She put the sketchbook and my pencils away, laying me down on the bed and removing my boxers, freeing my erection. She sat back on her legs for a moment, admiring me. "I wish I could draw," she stated, taking one of my hands in hers. "Because…if I could, I'd want to draw you just like this. Naked, fresh, new, and willing." We locked eyes, and I realized that she knew what I wanted.

She leaned down and kissed me with such force I was sure she'd bruised my lips, pulled away, and then moved across the bed, sitting atop my thighs with my erection just in front of the thatch of fiery hair between her legs. "Now…what to do with you," she said, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. "I'm sure I don't know." She grinned wickedly and moved a bit, until I could feel her warm, slick heat pressing against my cock.

Ginny leaned down to kiss me again, getting up on her knees and sliding down slowly, slowly, her warmth enclosing me, gripping me, swallowing me whole. At last she sat down atop me again, her eyes closed. I could feel the muscles in her thighs trembling as she arched her back and got up on her knees again, pulling away from me. I frowned at the loss, watching her as she slid up and down the length of my cock, the pleasure exploding from my groin throughout my whole body.

My mouth fell open slightly as she continued to rise and fall, impaling herself over and over again. I groaned, trying to pump my hips to the rhythm she'd established, but she growled, digging her nails into my chest, which stopped me. I submitted, handing the reins over to her.

I could tell she was nowhere near done with me, but it was all too much. I came explosively inside her with a low moan, but my hard-on didn't disappear, much to my relief. Ginny continued to rise up and down on my erection, moaning, whimpering, and nearly crying.

She finally came in wild spasms around me, drawing my second orgasm out with the rapid paroxysms of the flesh around my cock. I moaned again, my eyes closing tightly as Ginny collapsed on top of me. I remained in her for a bit until I softened, at which point in time I drew out. She curled against me, trailing a hand up and down my bare chest. I finally felt that it would be alright to say something. "Ginny?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm not your first." It was a statement, not a question.

"No…you're not."

"Who was?"

She blushed and replied, "One of Fred's friends. He came to visit during the summer, and we really liked each other, so…and he's three years older than I am, so he wanted to have sex…so we did. And I learned a lot from him."

I chuckled. "You could say that again."

There was a pause, during which time we lay in comfortable silence. "Draco?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I know. Love you too. Always have." With that, I put my arms around her and soon we fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: So there you have it. That's the end of the story itself, ladies and gents. There will be an epilogue, but otherwise…we're done here. Hope you enjoyed! 


	15. Epilogue

A/N: Welcome to the beginning of the end, ladies and gents. I hope you've enjoyed the ride.

* * *

A good portion of the year passed without circumstance. I told my mother, father, and Severus about my condition as Ginny's guardian angel. Father was overjoyed, mother was delighted, and Severus…he didn't seem surprised. I was pleased with the overall reaction to the news.

Time flew quickly after Voldemort's defeat. Potter, Ginny, Hermione, the Weas—Ron, and myself were all given Order of Merlin, First Class—as was Severus, whose name was now cleared due to his extensive work as a spy. My father and mother, however, were forced into hiding for quite some time, until a rather large donation to the Ministry from my father had his record wiped clean.

Countless faithful Death Eaters were locked up in Azkaban; I lost track of who after so many names ran through the headlines. The ranks of the Slytherins in my year were severely diminished due to the fact that many of their parents had stowed them away with obscure relatives. I got extremely short, choppy, grammatically incorrect letters from Crabbe and Goyle for a while until they came back to school just in time to graduate.

Ginny and I were a couple from the moment we awoke in my bedroom together. For a while, we were the hottest topic of discussion at mealtimes. However, we stayed together long enough for the talk to die down. It seemed that we would be one of the castle's few lasting relationships.

I passed my N.E.W.T.s with flying colors, and before I knew what was happening, I had graduated from Hogwarts. I was also a witness as the Wea—Ron proposed to Hermione that very same day. Ginny was overjoyed that Hermione would be her sister at long last.

I wondered what would become of the two of us, considering Ginny still had a year of school left. She told me not to worry about it and invited me to stay with her at the Burrow over the summer, especially considering I couldn't go home safely.

It was a summer of laziness and bliss, filled with tender words and sweet promises—ones I hoped I would be able to keep. The mere thought of losing Ginny was painful. Now that I had her, there was no way I was going to let her go.

All too soon, the summer ended, and Ginny was headed back to school. I was left to my own devices, the Malfoy fortune at my fingertips. In the end, I took up residence in Hogsmeade and watched from afar as Ginny blossomed even further into her beauty. She took every chance she could to come visit me, and although those moments together were brief, they were always full of understanding, acceptance, and unconditional love.

I lived in a modest flat in Hogsmeade in which I passed time by continuing to draw. At first I did it just because it filled the time and because it gave me something to think about besides Ginny; one day, however, I was drawing in a dark corner of the Three Broomsticks when Madame Rosmerta saw my sketch and offered to pay me to fill a large blank space on her wall with something suitable. I agreed and set to work.

After she hung my commission inside, I got countless other requests, and before I knew what had happened, my hobby had become a small business.

Ginny's last school year seemed to drag on forever for me. I couldn't wait for her to be done with Hogwarts, so that we could really begin our lives.

Finally, after what seemed to be far too long, she graduated. The first thing I did was kiss her and invite her to come and live in my flat with me. Her mother, however, happened to be nearby. She dragged me off and lectured me about how I had best not hurt her only daughter. The We—Ron threatened me, too, though I think I was more frightened of Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny moved into my flat and did extensive research into careers. I told her countless times that she had no need to worry about a thing; I had more than enough money to support the both of us. But that wouldn't content her, and although she _did _go along with it for a while, she soon became restless and when I came home one day from delivering a sketch, she was gone.

I was devastated.

For two agonizing months my flat was devastatingly empty. She had left everything I had bought her behind, which was even more upsetting. It seemed that everywhere I turned there was something that reminded me of her.

At long last, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, Ginny stood there waiting, and explained to me that although I was more than capable of taking care of the both of us, she had come to realize she wasn't comfortable with being entirely dependent upon me. She had taken a job in, of all things, modeling. I could see what even two months in the field had done for her—it had taught her how to flaunt her own beauty, to the point where she seemed to be glowing. She told me that living with me before had gotten her used to modeling, and all of my compliments on her beauty had made her aware of it. With the confidence being my lover had given her, she had walked out my door and into a new chapter of her life.

She said she was finally ready to live up to what I'd always said about her. She believed that until then, she hadn't been most of the things I had called her: beautiful, attractive, confident, independent…the list went on. But she said she was ready to be what I saw in her, ready to really _live _with me.

Her job as a model gave us a great many chances to travel and see the world. We visited every place we could think of to go, and some we'd never heard of, sharing every moment together.

One night in Paris, while we were standing together on our balcony overlooking the city, I asked Ginny to marry me. I can't say I was surprised when she turned me down, her reasons being that she didn't need a church full of people, an elaborate ceremony, and a load of money wasted to confirm the fact that she loved me.

I agreed, and despite a few protests, I finally convinced her that the world should know that we belonged solely to one another. With a few whispered words in another dark hotel room, I slid a ring on her finger, and she one on mine. It was our quiet, subversive way of warning off anyone who had any ideas.

After a few years of traveling, Ginny grew weary of the glamour and glitz of the modeling business, and she retired. We returned home to my flat, which was now our flat, and lived in peace and quiet until my father passed away, leaving me in control of the family fortune.

After we discovered that Ginny was pregnant, we had a house built in Hogsmeade. Hermione, who was teaching Arithmancy up at Hogwarts, came to visit us often, always bringing her husband, Hogwarts' newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, with her. Ginny loved being able to visit with her brother and sister-in-law so often; I was glad we had chosen the location we did for our new home.

After a set of twin girls and a boy, we decided not to have any more children, much to the disappointment of Mrs. Weasley, who was still unsatisfied after every single one of her boys all had at least two children.

If Ginny had thought her elder brothers had been bad, our girls were far worse. Ron aptly nicknamed them the "Walking Terrorists." It didn't help that their twin uncles loved spending time with them.

Each of our children received their letters when they turned eleven; as the two of us watched them all grow, living through the drama of our son deciding he was gay and our daughters fighting over a boy, Ginny and I came to realize that while parenthood had its joys, it also had its horrors.

I spent more than one evening trying to comfort Ginny as she went into hysterics over our adventurous daughter's trials and tribulations, including several broken bones, a brief coma, and countless black eyes and chipped or missing teeth. She went on to become a professional Quidditch player, while her twin sister played it safe (safer, anyway) by following in her grandfather's footsteps working for the Ministry in the Department of Muggle Artifacts. Our son ended up taking over my business.

We watched with pride as they all grew, and continued to offer our support when they needed it most, offering financial aid when the Ministry ran out of funding for the beloved department our dear daughter worked for, and opening our arms for our son when his lover left him. Through it all, Ginny and I remained as close as ever.

Our children were all successful, and we were happy for them as our daughters got married and had children of their own, and as our son settled down with a young man who was just as adventurous as his father, Harry Potter, had been.

My only fear lurked behind every door: at any moment I might cease to exist. It was overshadowed, however, when Ginny was taken ill. I spent every waking moment at her bedside, and when it became apparent that she would not be cured, I took her back home and cared for her myself.

I held her fragile body in my old arms, and held her hands as she slept. When she breathed her last, I was right there, whispering, "I love you," in her ear.

We passed out of this life together.

I never imagined nonexistence would be so sweet.

**THE END**

* * *

A/N: Keep your hands and arms inside the boat until it comes to a complete stop. Thank you for riding. You may get off now.

Goodbye!


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